where's your stuff really made?? outsourcing..

No bashing or politics, just a tidbit or two while I wait on the sun to warm things up a little.

Wife does export for a plastic/rubber plant in the industrial area here. They produce a few complete products themselves which, if assembly is required, is done locally by their plant workers, a local work therapy kind of school for mentally and physically handicapped folks, or taken home by some workers and assembled on a piece rate depending on difficulty and demand level. So. made in germany..........
They are surrounded by bosch/rexroth (sparkplugs, electrical, pumps, etc) SKF (bearings and seals), sachs (brakes, clutches, shocks/struts, and other suspension parts) and some others.
Some of the sealed (lube for life) bearings are produced locally, sent on a tour and back to my wife's place a half mile away to be injected with the seal material then shipped out to customers all over the world. Made in germany.

A whole bunch of shocks, bearing seals, balljoints, etc have the metal and the spring produced and sent to china, wife's place makes the rubber/plastic piece and sends it to china. Assembled in china and sent back to the name factory (bosch,skf,etc) to be shipped out to customers.
Hard to believe that could be cheaper but I guess so.

And, for the diehard folks typing on the forum about "ain't no china stuff coming on this place", take the side panel off your computer and see where some of the components are made..........

Behave yourselves and have a good day.


Dave

Why Dave, how RUDE of you to confuse folks with the facts!

I think most folks would be shocked to find out how few things are 100% USA any more. By that I mean the materials originated here, all the components were made here, and the entire thing printed, packaged and assembled here. At a guess, less than 10%, and quite possibly considerably less than that.

It's a World Economy, folks. Get used to it.

Exactly.... Get used to it. While I WISH things were like they were 50 years ago, times have changed and they'll most likely stay changed. The US showed the world how to make an industrialized nation work to our advantage. We flaunted our success. Now that the rest of the world has decided to join in on the fun, we get offended at how they simply did what we did. And we get lazy and complacent.

The second half of the 20th century might have been the high water mark for US wealth and power (relative to the rest of the world) Nothing guaranteed our standard of living would continue to climb. And when you look at how the average middle class lives these days, I often wonder if we SHOULD live at that standard. Not every entry level worker should feel entitled to climb out of his or her Escalade, talking on their Blackberry, wearing their $250 sneakers, and walk into their $400,000 home, to watch their 60" flat screen, while eating enough food to feed 10 people. We might need to get "hungry" again before we can get competitive with countries that ARE hungry. At current rate, and with the current administrations urgency to turn us into socialist lemmings, we might get there sooner rather than later.

I though you did nt like to wait !! O well , Did you think we think our computers were made in the USA , or any of the parts you listed ? I guess you figger we all dont get out much .

(quoted from post at 04:20:48 02/23/11) I though you did nt like to wait !! O well , Did you think we think our computers were made in the USA , or any of the parts you listed ? I guess you figger we all dont get out much .

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your gonna hurt my feelings one of these days if I ever get some.

Have a real nice day.

Not saying good, bad, or otherwise, just a few observations.
Most of the electronic stuff made in Japan, China, etc was developed in the US, but now assembled overseas. 50 years ago anything made in Japan was considered junk, now accepted as ok.
Japanese cars an example.
Spent the last 9 years of my working life dragging a freight box across the country. Hauled flat steel, cut to size, from Mpls to south Texas. There it was taken across the Big Creek, formed into electrical boxes, hauled it back to Mpls. Cost less to haul it across the country twice than to assemble here.
CRTs, tv picture tubes & computer monitors, made in Chicago, did the same thing. Haul to Texas, Mexicans do assembly, bring them back.
Large screen tv an exception. made near Pittsburg. Freight cost is high. Too tall to haul double stacked, can't haul with top tier lying flat. 16 sets filled a 53 ft trailer.
The list is endless. Could fill a book with war stories about border crossings, but that is another topic.
Willie

I don't think most folks have any idea how hollowed out our manufacturing has become. And that train left a long time ago. It sounds like Europe is in a little better place than the US. The US doesn't do as much component sourcing as much as straight importation of finished goods. I used to work with HP computers, printers, plotters. For a long time, they were at least American assembled. If I had a problem, they actually had service guys that would come out. Then Carli Fionirini(?), CEO of HP, sold all HP manufacturing plants. Shortly, all the stuff came in "made in malaysia" The service guys went away. She eliminated several thousand jobs, got a big reward, then went into politics. That's the way it is. Sorry for the rant.

A neighbor of mine is a manager at a automotive plastics shop. He told me that 10 years ago, he was paying $15 - $17 per hour for production help. Now he is paying $8. His company has plants in Mexico, among other places. If wages in the US get more than $8 or 9, the company sends the jobs to mexico. Minimum wage or Mexico. That's the choices. And he has no shortage of applicants.

Sure Dave2 -- Just look inside you, with that picture you keep showing, and see if you have any feelings,
Dear Abby would SURE be busy with your gobble,

Here's something you all need to think about, look up how many man hours it took in 1900 to produce one ton of steel and compare it to the tons of steel produced per man hour today. The U.S. manufacturing sector is by itself the third largest economy in the world. We are very efficeint at what we do. How many of you use power tools to make things or do you reach for a hand saw and plain to make a board. When you farm is there a horse in front of a plow or a tractor. If we worked like our grandfathers did our lives would be short and we would not have the idle time we do today.

Some of it might not be all bad.

I was poking around in Harbor Freight the other day when a set of combination wrenches caught my eye. Beautiful full polished finish, etc. Checked them out and they were made in India.

I don't know how it relates to HF, but India has long been known for producing some of the finest steel in the world. I've read of steel statuary made in India that's 2,000 years old and still not a speck of rust.

I think a lot of folks have deluded themselves by assumning that anything made in the U.S. is automatically better than the same item made elsewhere. Where we used to sort out the best of several functionally identical items made in the U.S., it's now a global economy and we need to sort out the best items regardless of origin.

I've been involved with the auto body industry for 30 years or more. There has been a long-standing battle between OEM and aftermarket replacement sheet metal. I have to recall the time in the late '80's when I was called upon to replace the right fender on an Olds Ciera. The customer was paying for it himself and wasn't picky, so we went with an aftermarket fender. The fender was made in Taiwan and had a manufacturing flaw that wasn't noticeable when installed.

Couple of months later, by coincidence, I replaced a right fender on an Olds Ciera where it was an insurance claim and required an OEM fender. Guess what? Same flaw. All GM was doing even back then was repackaging aftermarket sheet metal and selling it as OEM.

We're now on a global economy, folks. Get used to it.

Wondering about Out sourcing your book on PEOPLE SKILLS,and would it make 2nd printing in all language es?LOL , Joking aside(if you choose to call my reply ,Joking)Cheaper makes for more profits for the C.E.O,s and stock portfolio .so don't be to critical ,because if the shoe was on the other foot, and you had a company, would you loose any sleep over the peons that struggle daily? I really Doubt it. It's a thing called GREED that seems to motivate most .The struggling folks are economically boxed into a corner(even with 2 or more incomes) and rely on cheaper made items, so their daily lives can go on without to many interruptions. I know folks that shove money (what little they save back ) into the stock market hoping to STRIKE IT RICH with 2-4 1 splits 3-4-1 etc. Grab the market reports, study like all get out ,buy Sell on a whim . Better luck with the Lottery .Any way Dave, I'm done ranting .keep dry so the horses can be fed with out you wading mud up to your Azzzz. Regards, LOU.

Cant ever find anything positive to post LOU?

You life must really suck.

Saw a nice pair of pointy nosed 90 ° angled pliers at a JD dealership Wow JD Making tools now !! wrong on the other side says made in China. guaranteed and has replaced them once after falling off bench breaking a jaw.

Indy guy.Bless your heart. How's that?. Using Dave2 people skill.PThhhhhhhhhh! From Volume #2!! Some times (like in your reply) I must hit a nerve huh? Life isn't all to pleasant but it sure beats the alternative. "Your gonna hurt my feelings one of these days, if I ever get some. HOws That Dave???
Just love your people skills.
Regards lOU

We had a plant that made screws, and they shipped a couple boxes off for fast delivery as they were need real soon. They went from NE IA to Texas, and then back to NE IA----or as us red necks would say---real close by the original plant that made the screws. A better discription would be ......the two places share the same parking lot.

Managment at its best.

Dave . For all that's reading my reply post,You Know the writing IS NOT POINTED TOWARDS YOU but is just my observation of life that I Lived. Some one asked if I couldn't make a positive reply and that my life must suck. Little do they know that I have great respect for you and your "people skills", Wonder if they ever notice how I end my Post. ?? Usually with warmth ,i/e WARMEST REGARDS,REGARDS- so if one was to look up their meaning, I'm sure they would realize that I Do in fact have RESPECT FOR THOSE I ANSWER. May be I shouldn't respond to any posts? WARMEST REGARDS , LOU.

(quoted from post at 12:03:25 02/23/11) Dave . For all that's reading my reply post,You Know the writing IS NOT POINTED TOWARDS YOU but is just my observation of life that I Lived. Some one asked if I couldn't make a positive reply and that my life must suck. Little do they know that I have great respect for you and your "people skills", Wonder if they ever notice how I end my Post. ?? Usually with warmth ,i/e WARMEST REGARDS,REGARDS- so if one was to look up their meaning, I'm sure they would realize that I Do in fact have RESPECT FOR THOSE I ANSWER. May be I shouldn't respond to any posts? WARMEST REGARDS , LOU.

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Don't let it get to you Lou. If signatures were enabled on this site, all of my posts would have my favorite quote
"Be who you are and say what you feel. Those who matter won't mind and those who mind don't matter"

If someone doesn't have sense (or guts) enough to log in before posting, you usually can't set much store in what they say.....

don't sweat the small stuff.

Dave

Don't know if they show up on American ebay, but over here, you can buy a brand spankin new "original" Billy Cook western saddle for about 300 bucks. From India..

Lou
I know you're more capable of handeling a sutuation like this than I.

I at one time thought sometimes you were trying to rub feathers the wrong way. This fellow needs to get to know you like I have. sometimes I have to read twice to get it. but you did mention "Joking" twice.

Roy Thanks for the reply. You truly do know me. Yep the reply to Dave was not pointed at his life style. Or as a matter of fact. not any ones life style on this forum.Was referring to folks I worked with for years.I noticed a lot of posters talked about the greed of people who was wanting more and more. I always believed that the Good Lord always provided each and every one of us, things we need to survive.I have yet to see greed appear on this forum, but again I don't know what's in their hearts, just like folks don't know whats in mine. Time will tell all about who we are, it just takes a lot of communication to start the learning process of people who write on any subject,or voice their true opinions .I find Dave and J de And You and 90% of all the others to be honest and true with their feelings towards their fellow man. Some responders post reply's that are simply self serving and degrading in their attempts to run down folks. I have the highest respect for good opinions and subjects I know nothing about ,but I do learn lots from my son and experienced posters who know what they are talking about.I know you know I was joking and with the lol was the clue. He never read what I was saying. I Feel sorry for his short sightedness and in his haste to try and chastise me ,that failed miserably. Keep in touch old pal O Mine. Warmest REGARDS / LOU

Some people equate the need for a company to make money with greed. The truth is simply you can't stay in business if you don't make money.
Why does that always seem to be greed.
Oil companys are often called greedy because they make a lot of money. They do not set the price of oil. It's set by demand or often by what speculators are willing to pay when bidding against each other. They establish the price.

Try this one-

Currently we are working on a trim press for a foundry in Brazil, who makes crankshafts for both an American company and a German company, which are then shipped to Mexico, and from there the finished car is shipped to the US and all over the world.

We also have 2 trim presses in a foundry in Mexico, and several owned by other foreign owned foundries located in the US.

Wouldn't have had any work for the last 2 months (including lots of OT) if it wasn't for a foreign customer.

Donovan from Wisconsin

German company [Aldi] here, my City, in Australia sells peanut butter from USA and China, The Chinese is about $1 cheaper BUT I buy the product from USA because the FDA seem to have their finger on the pulse and considering the Chinese baby milk fiasco, I'm not happy with the other one.